Violence is a core part of the attraction of the narrative, examine the ways in which the writers explore the theme of violence.

Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys uses violence in several scenes throughout the novel. The violence in the novel is not fatal to everyone, it is just used to catch the reader’s eye, it creates suspense and strong curiosity. This novel consists of many emotional aspects. In both ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ a number of characters undergo various acts of violence. This violence is presented in a number of different ways, these being mental, physical and social violence.
Throughout the first four chapters Jane is both emotionally and physically tormented by Ms Reed, John Reed and Bessie. ‘you are a dependent’ Jane is mad to feel belittled and an outcast, she does not only take emotional abuse from John Reed but John is known to take frequent blows at Jane without a moment’s thought and takes somewhat pleasure in doing so. For Jane’s response to John she was punished ‘four hands were immediately laid upon me’ showing the harsh brutality Jane undergoes under the command of Ms Reed as she is places in the ‘red room’. ‘Penetrating rain’ symbolises Ms Reed and how piecing of a character she is. The neglect Jane faces is very similar to that Antoinette faces with her own mother. Emotionally her mother is absent she is merely there physically ‘flung me from her’ her mother was not at all emotionally attached to her but was very much so to her brother, Pire.
Violence towards Antoinette is provoked by the emancipation act, she is on the receiving end of angered yet joyful, freed slaves. A young black girl throws a stone at Antoinette as she calls her ‘cockroach’ just as Jane feels when John Reed strikes her, this is an act that affects her both emotionally and physically. The Parrot is yet another that has been a victim to an act of valance, it has been denied of its freedom as its wings have been clipped, this takes away flight, and just as Antoinette and her mother have treated in result of the emancipation act they are trapped.
Both books show strong representations on social violence. The institution of Lowood is under the control of Mr Brocklehurst. The conditions at this institution undermine simple human rights. The girls are unable to wash, as the water in their pitchers is ‘frozen’. Jane quickly learns that life at the school is harsh. The girls are underfed, overworked, and forced to sit still during seemingly endless sermons. It is here that girls are given harsh punishments, such as whipping, for minor offences. This upsets Jane just Antoinette and her family face social violence from the angered slaves that set their house on fire. This is provoked by a number of different things, them being former slave owners, improvement to the house and so on. In result of this outburst of revenge and anger they lose all that they have, as well as their beloved brother/son, Pier.
One of the most simple and profound aspects of Antoinette and Rochester's marriage is that it is a loveless one. More than once, Rochester thinks to himself that he simply does not "want" his wife, which he confirms by sleeping with another woman, an act he deliberately wants his wife to hear so as to hurt and alienate her, he also does this by calling her by another name, emphasising her madness. Rochester is severely emotionally violent towards her. Jane suffers the same fate from Rochester as he deliberately emotionally torments her after her findings about his wife.